Lovesick Thesis for the Struggling Man
by TheUnicornsAreAlive
Summary: (written in 2017) Mario would still wish for the day, that Rico would return to him (Mario x Rico)


NOOT NOOT

"Rico.." Mario spoke over the Commlink as Rico Rodriguez flew from the volcano. Rico flew in silence in his chopper, he felt somewhat better after shooting Di Ravello in the face three times. One for his parents, one for Dimah and one for Sheldon. But Sheldon will surely get whats coming for him.

"Hey, fratre~" Mario called out once again.

"What Mario?" Rico answered,slightly annoyed. Mario Frigo was that one annoying friend to Rico, always eccentric and airheaded when it comes to technology besides cars. Mario saw Rico as some sort of an idol to him for many years, even when they were kids. He always wanted Rico to fight besides him during the rebellion. Rico did have good points for Mario, he was nimble, helpful, and passionate about the freedom of Medici. He wished nothing but the best for Mario.

"Well, now that Di Ravello is dead.. I was kinda wondering-" Mario slowly spoke. "Perhaps you are going to that remote island right about now?"

Rico adjusted his grip on the controls of the chopper while he listened to Mario's hints that he wanted to join him on the island.

"Mario- "

"Maybe you have a spot for another? It's been awhile since we actually relaxed in the beauty of Medici, Rico." Frigo convinced. His voice changed into a soothing one, not likely of this man.

"Mario, you are more than welcomed to come. Besides we haven't seen each other for many of years. We have much catching up to do." Rico caved in, he mentally rolled his eye while looking straight forward.

Frigo smirked at that comment, "Yeah, did I tell you the time I accidently drove my car into a statue?"

Rico's eyebrows raised at Mario's words. "No?"

"Well, I was young and this was about the same time you left from Medici, like a few months after-"

"Was it that red car back at your grammatre's house?" Rico interjected.

"Y-yes that one. The one I promised to fix when you would come back." recalled Mario, he seemed resistant about the car and about Rico's escapage from Medici.

"Wait, you left that car on the grass for years?" Rico asked intentively.

"Well, you did find the car...remember?" Mario hesistantly responded. "That was also the day we-" He paused over the Commlink, for minutes there were silence. Rico felt nothing but awkardness and deep regret of what Mario tried to bring up. But, he kept a professional attitude

"I'm heading to the island..if you want the coordinates. I'll send them through the-"

"I should tend to Grammatre, maybe another time Rico? Okay. Bye." Mario rushed his statement and turned off his commlink. Rico reacted with his facial expression, he felt very confused. Mario wasn't very much like this, he was more talkitive rather than secretive and he kept stopping on the night Rico left. A night Rico had very little knowledge about.

\- Medici, many years ago -

"Sneaking off? Rico, how bad can you be?" Mario smirked playfully.

Rico shook his head and chuckled while they head to the beach, close to each other. Mario kept his arm around Rico as they view the sun setting.

"We missed service for this. It's worth it. Right fratre?" Mario chuckled, sitting down in the sand where the breeze was the only thing they heard far out on the island. Rico drew a big breath while Mario smiled at the water and Rico.

"Medici is so beautiful, Rico." Mario noted the sunset as the light began to dim. "There's nothing I would exchange for this moment."

Rico looked over at Mario to make sure he was still the same kiddish amateur auto-tech boy and he was; it's just that Medici's landscape takes his goofy persona away for many moments and it let's him focus on the eternal beauty of his country. Mario scooted next to Rico so close that there was a small micro line between them. Rico was too mesmerized by the sunsetting that he didn't care. He let the breeze go through his hair while Mario snuck his fingers to where Rico's were.

"Rico, where do you see yourself in many years?" Mario asked. The bold college teen pondered on Mario's question. His parents were secretly fighting with the resistance against Di Ravello. He was already helping but his father prefers him to not be on the frontline of the fight.

"Somewhere, at peace." Rico stated lowly as he gripped Mario's hand smoothly. Mario got the signal, he looked up at Rico. His childish face still caught Rico's attention all the time, Mario never looked his age, ever. "Rico, I'm scared." Mario announced, gripping his hand harder and resting his head on Rico's shoulder. The older teen drew a breath and let silence fill the air before he responded once again.

"I can feel it, I can feel the waves roar and crash. I can feel something is stirring in Medici, Rico." Mario restlessly warned. "It's a terrible feeling, a feeling that doesnt go away quickly but lingers."

"Rico, I'm afraid. Not only afraid of Medici but-"

"Mario, now you're scaring me. Speak." Rico spoke quickly.

"Rico, I can't describe it perfectly."

"Mario. I know you, speak."

"Rico-"

"Mario, why are you acting so differently all of a sudden? What's wrong ami-

"I'm afraid of losing you!" Mario blurted out of heated blindness. Rico stared at Mario for a good long minute, his face dropped into worriness that Mario has generated from his comment, he was confused, he was worried.

"Rico..Medici is changing. I'm worried for the state of it. I'm worried that we won't be able to live..freely like this any longer." The shorter teen cried, "Your parents, fighting out there, helping the resistance..please don't tell me that I will find you in a box one day."

"Do you think I will die or even my parents?." Rico closed in, cupping his face in his hands. "We will be okay. You and I. My mother and father. Your parents. Grammatre.

Mario's pupils dilated as he focused on Rico's reassuring expression. He was looking into comfort and he found it.

Right infront of him

"We can't.." Mario whispered while Rico closed in onto his lips and kissed him. The waves crashed very loudly this time in the background. The two pulled away from each other slowly as the stars in the sky began to lit up the area.

"The heart of Medici, lies in here." Mario pointed at Rico's chest. Rico smiled and held Mario tight until they decieded to go home before the forces went on nightly patrol.

\- two years later -

"You're..no..no..no" Mario's throat felt closed as Rico broke the news. His eyes widened, causing his mind to scatter and run around the fact that Rico is escaping after the death of his parents. Something he'd never thought he would have done.

"But what about the resistance?! You cannot let your father's legacy die! Like this, you-you coward!" He began to hit him softly on his chest when he began to sob. Rico exhaled the anxious air that filled him up when he told Mario about him leaving Medici."You lied! I hate you for that!" Mario walked away, wiping his tears with his red shirt. Rico didn't stop him, he didn't plead for him. He just stared at Mario disappearing into the field, back to his house.

"Mario never changes." Rico shook his head as he walked down to his house.

"Grammatre, I'm home." Mario sternly greeted, walking right to her garage where he kept a fancy red car, all damaged from an accident days ago. He roughly took out his tools and began to inspect the car.

"Let it go, Frigo." Mario talked to himself while he searched his bag of tools for a flashlight. "Let him go..." He corrected himself quickly, trembling as more tears fell down on his face. Mario Frigo, 18 years old, felt betrayed by his own lover. He began to breath slowly in and out to not think of what happened, hence him fixing up the car. The young italian kept going as fast as he could, keeping his mind off of Rico.

"The paint was scratched but, I could fix it up later..now where are the keys.." He said to himself, searching his messy planning table for the keys.

"A car for me? Aww, fratre."

Mario jumped up and noticed Rico smiling.

"Rico Rodriguez." Mario sternly called out. He normally wouldn't ever say his full name but how pissed he was, he did.

"Mario." Rico answered to him, unofficially. Mario roughly stuck his hand out like he needed something

"Give me the keys."

Rico looked back at the keys and shook his head.

"What if I don't you know-feel like it."

"Oh for christ sake, Rico-'

"Besides, might I test it out for a drive? You did say it was working." Rico smirked.

"Give me the goddamn keys." Mario sighed. "I'm not on best terms with you, coward."

There it was again.

"My life is on the line and I am a coward for dodging death?" Rico asked as he put his hand on the table.

"You're not dodging death Rico, you're willingly putting yourself next in line for it!" Mario yelled.

"Mario, Di Ravello killed my parents. And now he is coming for me." Rico strongly stated. "Do you not understand how brutal this man is?"

"I live in fear just like you Rico! We all do! Medici is changing into a state of control!"

"And you running away won't stop it." Mario ended the screaming match.

"Mario."

Mario ignored and grabbed his tools to put them away.

"Mario.."

He knew Mario had this habit of organizing things when he feels nervous, anxious or mad. He would go on to completely avoid anyone.

"Rico, you GODDAMN FOOL!" Frigo got up and ran into his arms. He held him tight while his sobs were muffled. "Don't go" He kept repeating it over and over, hoping it would convince him.

"I'm sorry..." Mario choked on his tears.

"Aye, Mario." Rico sighed while he let Mario cry and stain his shirt. "I can't stand you crying.."

He felt his eyes fill with water, but he kept his sobs in his mind while Mario's filled the room.

\- The Port - 4:50 AM

Rico and Mario walked down the road that lead to the south port. The boat was planned to be there in an hour. But all was inbetween them was the dusk sky, sea breeze and the tall grass.

Rico's black hair swayed while he adjusted his shirt, looking out to the sea. It's dark color glistened by the light caused by neighboring militant areas. Mario's hair was quite messy with him having a little scuff on his chin, he too, stayed quiet for the moment.

"Remember when we played in the water in the morning before school?" Mario broke the silence. "Boy, how mad the teacher got when we would come in." He smiled a little, staring at a lone toy shovel left on the sand. Rico didn't say anything, he didn't want to say anything. He felt that this silence was just right for this last day.

"You'd also tease me with the name Ricardo, to make me mad." Rico added.

"Well it did work because you chased me down the sand that one time we were late." Mario laughed.

Both chuckled at each other, but broke it off when they both looked at each other. Mario played with Rico's black hair and ruffled in it. He reacted playfully and smiled. But this only lasted a moment.

"I won't know where you will be but, promise me something." Mario added.

"Stay alive.."

He shone his black cross in the light of the bright sun in Panau. He was bored and so was his mentor, Sheldon. No action for the past days and Baby Panay was laying low. Rico didn't like and understand this silence

"Stay alive..and wait for me." Rico trailed off, examining the cross.

Mario took out Rico's hand and gifted him a black cross necklace. He then closed Rico's hand.

"For protection. and for your faith." Mario said in a quiet tone. "You won't be alone. No matter where you head."

The older teen by a few months smiled and kissed Mario's forehead.

"Thank you Mario.." Rico huffed a little breath and let it out. A light got closer, and it was the boat. A boat to a new life.

Rico took one last look at Mario and cupped his face for a long kiss. He lingered after he took his lips off.

"I will never forget you." Rico whispered, Mario lips quivered but he caught himself tearing up and closed his eyes. Rico ran down to the port as Mario looked from above.

"You better not!" Mario yelled, "Rico! I will kick your ass when we meet again you bastard!" He smeared a tear away from his eye, smiling.

Rico looked back and smiled as he came closer to the boat. He entered the gate, waiting for more instructions.

Mario slouched down to his knees and wept slowly and quiet as he could before he couldn't control it any longer and screamed out to Rico for him to hear. Rico closed his eyes, he couldn't bear Mario being upset especially in times like this. Strangely, at the same time, they both witness the sun rising. They both remembered the days on the beach where they played. The days where they skipped chruch service to build cars and watch the sunset. They collected memories that intertwined their fates together.


End file.
